Emergency dam plans need a look

4:54 AM,
May 15, 2013

A pedestrian walks at Shelby Upground Reservoir No. 2.

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Owners of major dams are required to provide the state with an emergency action plan, showing how they would deal with a catastrophic dam failure or prevent minor leaks from becoming major - but 10 dams in Richland County don't have an approved plan filed with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

The plans must include an "inundation map" showing where water likely would flow if a catastrophic problem occurred, so emergency officials could reach neighboring property owners and evacuate them if necessary.

The problem in Richland County may rest partly with the dam owners and partly with ...